Christopher Nolan Praises Dwayne Johnson’s Heartbreaking Performance

LOS ANGELES, CA — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has received major backing for his Oscar campaign for his role in “The Smashing Machine” from acclaimed director Christopher Nolan. During an interview on the podcast “The Director’s Cut,” Nolan expressed admiration for Johnson’s portrayal of UFC fighter Mark Kerr.

Nolan described Johnson’s performance as “heartbreaking,” stating, “I think it’s an incredible performance. I don’t think you’ll see a better performance this year or most other years.” This endorsement comes as Johnson’s latest film struggles at the box office, garnering only $10 million to date on a $50 million budget.

The film, directed by Benny Safdie, depicts Kerr’s tumultuous career alongside his personal battles with addiction and his relationship with his wife Dawn, played by Emily Blunt. Despite the film’s rocky start, it has received positive reviews and won Safdie the Best Director prize at the Venice Film Festival.

In the podcast, Nolan reflected on their time working together, jokingly saying, “I heard a rumor that when you were supposed to be learning your lines on my set, you were actually canvassing people to be in your movie.” Safdie confirmed this, mentioning he approached Blunt during a Q&A session while filming “Oppenheimer.”

Nolan further commended the film, stating it is a “remarkable and radical piece of work that will be understood more and more over time.” Johnson’s transformative role has reportedly changed his life, as he expressed gratitude towards Safdie for believing in him.

As the film continues to navigate its premiere, Johnson remains hopeful about the future, saying, “In our storytelling world, you can’t control box office results — but what I realized you can control is your performance.”